Hair waving



Patented Sept. 30, 1930 Y PATENT FOSTER DEE SNELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YOB-IS;

' HAIR WAVING No Drawing.

This invention relates to hair waving; and 1t comprises aprocess wherein hair is curled or waved .by a mild heat in the presenceof water vapor and of a minimum amount of 5 ammonia gas (NI-I set free in place by chemical or metathet1cal reaction at the time of waving; and it further comprises a pad or a like articlecontaining a dry, mildly alkaline salt adapted toreact with ammonia salts 10 to develop free NIL; said pad frequently containing an ammonia salt, in a solid form adapted to-react with said mild alkali on acset forth and as claimed.

Hair was formerly exclusively, and is now often curled or waved by the action of a hot iron; :1. curling iron. Under the influence of heat, tensions existing in a curled hair are relieved and on cooling, the hair retains its-new form. This way of curling injures the texture of the hair more or less, so that methods of curling or waving have come into use wherein the action of heat is supplemented bythat of an alkali acting in an atmosphere of steam (water vapor). In so doing, a less temperature is required and less damage is done-to the hair. All methods of permanent waving and curling now in use in hairdressin establishments are based onthese facts. n one common method of waving hair, a strand of hair is wrapped around a curling rod, covered with a layer of fabric moistened by ammonia solution (usually 2 to 17 per cent of NH and the whole exposed to heat for 7 to 12 minutes, usually by slipping a tubular electric heater over the assemblage. This gives a good ermanent wave, but has the disadvantage ot the unpleasant fumes of ammonia permeating the whole establishment. Further, while very little of the ammoni'a used actually comes in contact with the hair, there is still more than is necessary; there is'more attack on the hair by the ammonia than is desirable. Another-method 4 includes the use of a labile salt of ammonia,

such as the borate or perborate, which will than are'desirable or pleasant. 7

Application filed September 22, 1928.. Serial No. 807,778.

"I have found that a less time or a lower tem erature can be used, with less damage to the 'air and less unpleasantness to the subject by the development in situ of nascent ammonia as the result of chemical reaction. In so doing, no high temperature is required, since NH can be so evolved at any temperature. But little NH is required and that is evolved in the direct vicinity of the hair, so that there is practically no odor and, because of the less time and lower temperatures nec- .essary, the operation is much less trying. cessof molsture; all as more fully heremafter In one embodiment of my invention, the pad (as it is called in the art) is impregnated with a mild non-volatile alkali, sodium carbonate being the best, although potassium carbonate, trisodium phosphate, borax, etc. may be employed. The ad is impregnated with asolution of the a ali' salt and then dried. Substantially insoluble mild alkalis stick in the usual way covered withacap,

and is gently heated. s the ammonium salt solution penetrates the pad, NH is liberated by reaction with the contained alkali and acts on the hair. The cap forms an enclosed space surrounding the curl and tends to directthe evolved. NH against the hair. The liberation of N'H not being dependent on heat it is not necessary to exercise "at care as to'tenu perature. this enibo iment of my invent1on,s1nce the solutlon used does not contain free ammonia, it cannot create a nulsance in storing or handling.

The reverse procedure may be used; the pad being saturated with an ammonia salt and'dried. The liquid used for wettin before use is then a solution 0'? a mild a ali, subh as sodlum carbonate.

In a better embodiment of-m invention,

. the two salts to react on each 0t er, the ammonia salt and the mild alkali, are both contained in the pad in a dry condition. Reaction takes place only in the resence of moistu'rc; that is, at the time 0 use. When the pad is to be used, it is simply moistened with water and placed in position around the curl. Pending use, the dry pads may be preserved in cartons or otherwise stored indefinitely, without fear of deterioration or development of nuisance.

In the most convenient embodiment of this type of my invention, the pad used consists of two layers of fabric, each separately impregnated with one of the salts and then dried. For example, a sheet of cotton flannel may be impregnated with a solution of ammonium chlorid in the desired amount and then dried, while a similar sheet of fabric is impregnated with a solution of sodium carbonate and dried. Ordinary soda ash may be used. The two dry sheets are then assembled, with or without an intermediate layer of unimpregnated cloth, and compound pads stamped or cut out of the assembled sheets. On moistening the compound pad, reaction begins to take place, but not at such a rate as to create any nuisance or permit any substantial development of NH prior to application to the hair. Suitable pads maybe made of absorbent fabric containing from 0.082 to 0.27 grams of sodium carbonate and half these quantities of ammonium sulphate per square inch. The weights given are on a dry basis, and provide for a slight excess of alkali.

Instead of using a 2-layer pad, as just described, a single layer pad may be employed, the pad being treated with a finely powdered mixture of the two salts. Or thetwo dry powders may be successively applied. In one way of applying the mixture, the two powders are aerially suspended and distributed through the fabric by blasting or suction. A convenient way of applying either a mixture of the two salts or two successive,

individual layers of said salts to the surface of the cloth is to suspend the 'dry powders in a non-aqueous liquid, such as benzol or gasoline, as a thick-suspension and plaster the suspension on the cloth as a layer. The benzol is then evaporated off. In benzol, no

reaction taks places and the powder or pow-' ders may be conveniently made into a plascontaining mildlyalkaline material in a dry gum tragacanth, starch, etc.,

4. In waving hair, the process which com-- prises placing hair under tension and fixin it with the aid of heat and ammonia evolve and directed against the hair by reaction in close proximity to the hair of an ammonia salt with sodium carbonate.

5. In waving hair, the process which comprises enveloping the hair with a pad containing a mildly alkaline salt and developing ammonia in place-b the reaction of an ammonia salton said al aline salt.

6. A hair curling pad comprising absorbcm fabric impregnated with at least two chemicals in' the dry state, said chemicals being adapted to react to release ammonia upon access of moisture.

7. A hair curling pad for immediate use comprising a layer of absorbent fabric moistened with a solution of an ammonium salt, said pad having been previously impregnated with a mildly alkaline material in the dry state.

i 8. In waving hair, the process which comprises giving the hair a predetermined formation, and evolving ammonia by chemical action in an enclosed space surrounding said hair for a predetermined time interval. I

9. In waving hair, the process which comprises giving the hair a predetermined formation, evolving ammonia by the reaction of an alkali and an ammonium salt in proximity to said hair and maintaining said hair in an atmosphere of the ammonia thus evolved.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

FOSTER DEE SNELL.

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